Machine for the manufacture of wire fabrics.



- PATENTEDAUGLE, 1907.

e. E. SMITH.

MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF WIRE FABRICS. APPLICATION FILED 00111, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Y Wwm r": NORRIS PETERS co, WASHINGTON, n! c.

PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

. e. H. SMITH, MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF-WIRE FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED 0011111, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

G. H. SMITH. V MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF WIRE FABRIGS.

APPLICATION FILED OO'I. 11 1906.

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No. 862,356. PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

G. 11. SMITH.

MACHINE FOR THE MANURACTUREv 0F WIRE FABRICS.

' APPLICATION FILEjD 001'. 11, 1906;

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WITNESSES I Q 7 Q Q Q {r WYW' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. SMITH, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STEEL 8: WIRE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF WIRE FABRICS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Augv 6, 1907.

Application filed October 11, 1906. Serial No. 338,341.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. SMITH, of Worcester, Worcester county, Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for the Mannfacture of Wire Fabric, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an end elevation of a machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the mandrels; Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the manner in which the mesh wires are looped upon the mandrel; and Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of one of the guides.

My invention provides means whereby existing machines may, by simple changes, be adapted to the manufacture of strips of wire fabric whose edges are provided with spiral bends or eyes whereby they may be connected to the like loops of a similar strip, thereby forming a sheet of fabric of any desired width.

With this object in view, my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts, all substantially as hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing illustrate a machine of well-known type, which is used for the manufacture of diamond mesh fabric, composed of longitudinal or strand wires 2, and mesh-forming wires 3, which are carried back and forth between adjacent strand wires to form a diamond weft or mesh.

The numerals 4 designate the series of spools from which the strand-forming wires 2 are fed through the guides 5 and hollow spindles 6.

7 designate the bobbins which supply the meshforming wire 3, and which are arranged in pairs, arranged to be rotated around the respective strand wires, and to be moved laterally back and forth between adjacent strand wires in the usual manner.

8, 9, l0, l1 and 12 designate a series of feed and tension rolls around which the finished fabric is passed on its way to the receiving or take-up roll 13.

1?, indicates the gearing for actuating the series of feed and tension rolls.

As thus far described, the machine does not differ from those which have heretofore been in use for the manufacture of this form of fabric, and a detailed description thereof will be unnecessary to those familiar with the art. Instead, however, of utilizing outer strand wires 2 for the edges of the fabric, I omit these wires from one or both edges of the fabric, and instead of the guide bushings 14, through which the wires 2 pass out of the spindles 6, I provide one or both of the end spindles with. a tapered mandrel 15, which is secured in the end of the spindle, as shown in Fig. 5, and which projects parallel with the series of strand wires. Adjacent to each mandrel, I provide a rotary guide sprocket 16, (shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7), which is placed just inside the mandrel for the purpose of reducing the side thrust on the spindle, 6, while the winding is being done. This guide sprocket is rotated by the moving fabric, and offers an insignificant obstruction to the discharge of the fabric while at the same time it efliciently performs the function above specified.

The mesh-forming wires at the edges of the fabric, instead of being wound upon outer strand wires at the ends of their loops, as is the case with the regular machine, are wound about the tapered mandrel in the manner shown in Fig. 5, thereby forming at the edges a series of loops or eyes 17, by means of which two strips of the fabric may be connected together edge to edge by a suitable coupling rod or strand passed therethrough. As the fabric is fed forward in the operation of the machine, these eyes 17 readily slip off from the mandrel, and are wound upon the receiving or take-up roll or drum 13 with the fabric.

My invention is applicable to any form of machine for making diamond-mesh fabric by the simple substitution of the mandrel for the outer longitudinal or strand wires. As above indicated, either one or both edges of the fabric may be formed with the series of loops, as may be desired.

What I claim is 1. In a machine for making wire fabric, the combination with strand wire feeding mechanism and mesh-wire feeding and weaving mechanism, of a mandrel located outside of the outer strand wire in position to receive loops of the mesh wire; substantially as described.

2. A machine for making wire fabric, having a mandrel outside of its outer strand wire guide, and means for looping the outer mesh wire around the mandrel; substantially as described.

3. In a machine for making wire fabric, a tapered mandrel parallel with the strand wire feeders, and means for looping the outer mesh-forming wire around the mandrel; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE H. SMITH.

Witnesses A. F. BACKLIN, M. I SHEEI-IAN. 

